Best Innovation Schools Near Kentwood, MI (2026)

Kentwood, Michigan has 18 accredited schools offering innovation programs, with tuition ranging from $4,100 to $39,350 per year for indexed programs. Kentwood has a population of about 54,114. Median household income is $73,647 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area, the top-earning innovation-related role is Computer and Information Systems Manager at a median $142,700 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).


Closest Innovation Schools to Kentwood

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer innovation programs near Kentwood, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Kentwood city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Kentwood. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

#1

Calvin University

Grand Rapids, MI 3.3 miles from Kentwood BOC Score 71.1
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 71%
Graduation rate 76%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $58,375
Avg net price $22,992/yr
Tuition
In‑state$39,350
Out‑of‑state$39,350
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 88%
  • Programs offered: 42

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#2

Grand Valley State University

Allendale, MI 15.8 miles from Kentwood BOC Score 65.8
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 66%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $56,118
Avg net price $16,317/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 76%
  • Programs offered: 58

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#3

Western Michigan University

Kalamazoo, MI 41.6 miles from Kentwood BOC Score 63.3
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 61%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,562
Avg net price $15,273/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 80%
  • Programs offered: 105

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#4

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI 55.4 miles from Kentwood BOC Score 64.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $54,735
Avg net price $8,624/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 95

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#5

Central Michigan University

Mount Pleasant, MI 63.4 miles from Kentwood BOC Score 60.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
  • Accredited
Acceptance rate 90%
Graduation rate 60%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $55,874
Avg net price $17,597/yr
Tuition
In‑state$14,760
Out‑of‑state$14,760
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 75%
  • Programs offered: 91

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

#6

Jackson College

Jackson, MI 78.4 miles from Kentwood BOC Score 52.2
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 19%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $36,898
Avg net price $7,761/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 51

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#7

Northwood University

Midland, MI 83.9 miles from Kentwood BOC Score 62.7
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 67%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $63,075
Avg net price $27,232/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 79%
  • Programs offered: 15

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

#8

University of Michigan-Flint

Flint, MI 96.6 miles from Kentwood BOC Score 58.9
  • 4 year
  • Campus + Online
Graduation rate 50%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $53,230
Avg net price $7,007/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 77%
  • Programs offered: 38

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Michigan schools on the Michigan innovation page.


Innovation Wages Near Kentwood

Kentwood is part of the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area (BLS area code 24340). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Michigan statewide.

OccupationMedian WageSourceCOL-Adjusted (US=100)
General and Operations Manager$101,720Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI$106,513
Management Analyst$81,710Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI$85,560
Marketing Manager$128,900Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI$134,974
Computer and Information Systems Manager$142,700Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI$149,424

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.


Kentwood at a Glance

MetricValueSource
Population54,114Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income$73,647Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+35.1%Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100)95.5 (below U.S. average)BEA RPP 2024

Other Kentwood-Area Cities With Innovation Programs


Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited innovation schools are near Kentwood, MI?

Our directory has 18 accredited schools offering innovation programs near Kentwood. The closest is Calvin University in Grand Rapids, MI (3.1 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Ferris State University (55.7 miles). 9 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying innovation roles near Kentwood?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying innovation-related roles near Kentwood are: Computer and Information Systems Manager ($142,700), Marketing Manager ($128,900), General and Operations Manager ($101,720). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Michigan statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Wyoming instead of Kentwood?

Wyoming, MI is 5.8 miles from Kentwood and has its own set of local innovation programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Kentwood an affordable place to study innovation?

Kentwood’s median household income of $73,647 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Kentwood while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Michigan public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.


Learn More About Innovation Programs

Other Programs Available in Kentwood

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Kentwood:

Data verified: August 11, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.